Process of refining crude petroleum



(No Model.)

C. C. MBNGEL, S1. PROGESS OF REFINING CRUDE PETROLEUM. No. 452,578.Patented May 19, 1891.

UNITED STATES CHARLES C. iuEneEL, SR.

PATENT OFFICE.

, OF BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

PROCESS OF REFINING CRUDE PETROLEUM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,578, dated May 19,1891.

Application filed November 13, 1889.

To a/ZZ whom t mag/concern.- 1

Be it known thatl, CHARLES C. MENGEL, Sr., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Bay City, in the county of Bay and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ProcessesofRening Crude Petroleum, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in the process ofrefining the so-called Lima oil, which cannot be refined well by theordinary methods in use for so called Pennsylvania oils.

My process is used in connection with the ordinary process of refiningpetroleum by distillation; and it consists in introducing into the stillabove the oil during the process .of distillation natural gas as itcomes from the earth.

Referring to the drawing, forming a part of this specification, whereinis represented a sectional view of the vaporizing-still,commingling-retort, and condensers, A represents a still over aheat-generator B, said generator consisting, preferably, of ahydrocarbonburner fed by the natural-gas-supply pipe C. Thenatural-gas-supply pipe C, leading directly from the earth, is heated toa degree of temperature corresponding to the distilling and vaporizingpoint of the petroleum in the still by means of a coil D in said pipe atthe back of the still and in the path of the products of combustion fromthe furnace or burner B. The heated gas is then introduced into thestill A through a perforated pipe a and therein mixes with the vapors ofthe petroleum, the mixture of heated knatural gas and vaporizedpetroleum then passing into a superheating-retort E by means of pipe F,said retort having retarding-plates e therein, the lower series of whichhave openings for the withdrawal of residuum at the end of the retort.After the entrance of the mixture into the retort it is subjected to theheat of about 800, which superheats the same, prevents condensation inthe retort, and allows the gas and vapor to thoroughly mix and SerialNo. 330.196. (No specimens.)

chemically react upon each other, which is necessary to produce thedesired eect.

G represents condensers of any improved form and construction, throughwhich the conducting-pipe I-I leads, said pipe being connected to theretort E.

I indicates a trap, having therein atits lower edge avalved exit J andan exit-pi pe K at its top, said pipe permitting the escape of andconducting the sulphated gasesto any suitable place. A

My process of refining is based upon the chemical affinity which existsbetween the sulphurous compounds contained in the oil and theingredients of the above-mentioned gases, which are intimately mixed atabout the temperature described. The resulting compounds, being veryvolatile, even at a low temperature, escape into the atmosphere.

What I claim as my invention isl. The herein-described process ofreiining Lima petroleum, which consists in introducing into the vaporsarising from the still during the process of distillation natural gas ina heated condition equal to the temperature of the oil-vapors, passingthe mixture through pipes, boxes, or other suitable conduitsV ofsufficient lengths, and superheated to prevent condensation, andallowing the necessary chemical action to take place, and finallyconducting them into the condensers, substantially as described.

2. The process of refining Lima petroleum, which consists in introducinginto the vapors arising from the still during the process ofdistillation natural gas and conducting the mixture into a retort, inwhich it is heated while retarding its iow, and then conducting the sameinto a condenser, and finally separating the gases from the products ofcondensation, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses,this 5th day of November, 1889.

CHARLES C. MENGEL, SR.

`Witnesses: v

ARCHIBALD MCDCNELL, U. LERANGER.

